Holy See abuses natural law

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Catechism of the Catholic Church

In 1992, during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II (1920-2005), the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) was published. The bishops wanted a reference work that could serve as a worldwide reference for catechetical publications. It was largely drafted under the direction of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (1927-2022), then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the Holy Inquisition) and later Pope Benedict XVI. With the Apostolic Constitution “Fidei Depositum” (“The Treasure of Faith”), Pope John Paul II underscored the meaning and authority of this Catechism. In this document, he emphasized that the Catechism is intended to serve as an authentic guide for teaching the faith, in full continuity with the tradition and Magisterium of the Church.

Natural law misused to exclude people

In this reference work, the Catholic Church claims to base its teachings on natural law. She thus condemns well-defined forms of human behavior. Among these forms is homosexuality, an “objective disorder” according to the Church. This condemnation, supposedly founded on the natural law that is above and prior to all human laws, seems to leave no room for any kind of revision.The judgment is thus crystal clear, objective and universally valid, once again reinforced by the infallible Magisterium of the Pope. Such a thing evokes an oppressive feeling, leading to disgust and resistance. By what right and based on what sources can the Church make these reprehensible statements, while claiming an all-encompassing and timeless validity?

Natural law is considered here as a God-given moral framework. The principles of natural law are inherent in Creation because laid down by God. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that God is the source of moral truth and that natural law is a reflection of His will. That all sounds very nice when it comes to ethical standards such as respect for human life, justice and fairness. But to exclude individuals or groups because of their opinions, their orientation or any other characteristic, even a church cannot do that, no matter how infallible.

Influence is pernicious

We must not forget that the Catechism addresses and influences countless believers. Indeed, there are approximately 1.378 billion Catholics worldwide, representing over 17% of the world’s population. This proportion remains fairly stable over the years. Europe is the only continent where the number of Catholics is declining, while in other continents it continues to rise, with North and South America leading the way: more than half of the people there are Catholics. In Asia, the proportion of Catholics is relatively low (only 3.3%) because of the dominance of other world religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

So when the Church establishes or spreads something among its adherents, it impacts a large number of people. After all, in Europe as much as 39% of the population is Catholic. If every individual adopts the Church’s vision without critical reflection, issues such as abortion, orientation and sexuality… will always remain taboo and even condemned.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church: https://rkdocumenten.nl/toondocument/1-catechismus-van-de-katholieke-kerk-nl/?systeemnum=1-4. Accessed 15/9/2024.

The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2015/04/02/religious-projections-2010-2050/. Accessed 15/9/2024.

Vatican statistics show decline in clergy, religious women, worldwide. https://www.catholicsun.org/2023/03/07/vatican-statistics-show-decline-in-clergy-religious-women-worldwide/. Accessed 15/9/2024.

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